BIOGRAPHY OF

PRESENTED BY:-

UMESH INGLE

छत्रपती� शि�वाजी�राजी भो�सले

Reign 1664 - 1680

Coronation June 6, 1674Full name Shivaji Shahaji Bhosle

TitlesKshatriya Kulavantas,GoBramhan Pratipalak

Born February 19, 1630

BirthplaceShivneri Fort, near Pune, India

Died April 3, 1680 (aged 50)Place of death Raigad Fort

Successor Sambhaji

Wives

Sai baiSoyarabaiPutalabaiKashibaiSagunabaiManjulabaiSakavaarbaiGunvantibai[1][2]

OffspringSambhaji, Rajaram, and six daughters

Father ShahajiMother Jijabai

Religious beliefs Hinduism

Early LifeShivaji was born on 19th February 1630, to Sahaji and his wife, Jijabai Bhosle, in the Shivneri Fort, situated almost 60 km to the north of Pune. He was named as Shiva, after the local Goddess Shivai, to whom his mother Jijabai had prayed for a son.

After being defeated by the combined forces of the Mughals and Adil Shah, Sahaji was offered a jagir near the present-day Bangalore. However, he was allowed to keep his holdings in Pune. So, Sahaji left his son Shivaji to manage the Pune holdings, under the care of his mother Jijabai.

At the same time, Kanhoji Jedhe and Baji Pasalkar were appointed to look after Shivaji's training. In the year 1644, Shivaji undertook full administrative responsibilities of his estate. Thus was started his career as an independent young prince of a small kingdom. His mother, Jijabai, was instrumental in instilling in Shivaji's mind a love for independence and distaste for external political domination.

मी� मीराठा आहे !

हे�य, मी� ती�च मीराठा ज्य कु� ळाती "छत्रपती� शि�वाजी� मीहेराजी" जीन्मीले आले . मी� ती�च मीराठा जिजीथे राक्त शिं�!प"न "मीहेराष्ट्र" उभो कु ले राजी&न�!

अस&ख्य अडचणीं+वारा मीती कुराती, सवा,न स�बती घे ती चले" असले ले हे मीराठाय&च प्रवास सवा,थे0न ऐतितीहेस�कु आहे .ह्या मीती�न& आम्हेले शि�कुवाले&य तिनधड्या छती�न& जीगायले. अथे0 दि9लेय& आम्हे� "सतिहेष्णीं�ती ले".

Maratha or Who are Marathas?

Marathas are a blend of the Warrior and Agrarian classes, speaking Marathi and generally having their roots in Maharashtra. They are also found in large Numbers in Karnataka, Goa, and Madhya Pradesh & Gujarat. A Maratha clans claim themselves to be Kshatriyas (Warriors).

The tiny kingdom established by Chhatrapati Shivaji known as "Hindavi Swaraja" (Sovereign Hindu state)The history of India is incomplete without the history ofMarathas and Shivaji is the nucleus of Maratha history. Shivaji has been a source of inspiration and pride and will continue to inspire generations in future.Maratha clan systemAccording to some sources most Marathas must belong to one of the 96 different clans (The "96 Kuli Marathas“). The list of 96 Maratha clans is different as per different historians. An authoritative listing was apparently first attempted in 1889 and a list finalised in 1956 by the Government of India.

The state thus founded by Chhatrapati Shivaji attained its zenith under the tutelage of the Peshwas in the 18th century, extending from the Indus in present-day Pakistan to Orissa in the east and from the Punjab to central Karnataka in the south. The kingdom of Thanjavur in present-day Tamil Nadu was also ruled by a Maratha dynasty, albeit outside the ambit of the main Maratha Empire. At its peak, the Maratha Empire established a protectorate over the mughal emperor and paramountcy over the numerous Rajput chieftains of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Central India and elsewhere. They had also managed to bring Punjab under their sway and end Muslim rule there and keeping the field open for the Sikhs. This vast empire declined gradually after the third battle of Panipat (1761); by 1818, all of present-day India had fallen to the British East India Company.

मरा�ठा� सा�म्रा�ज्य

ACHIEVEMENTS:-Raigad Fort Battle It was the capital of the most illustrious Maratha sovereign, nurtured by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. It is a monument of his prophetic vision of Hindavi Swarajya.

This is a preamble prior to your electrifying excursion around Fort Raigad. It has been described by European historians as 'The Gibralter of East'. Various landmarks have lent it the credo of 'Shivtirth'. The holy shrine has become vibrant by the valour, courage and patriotism of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

PURANDHAR BATTLEWith time, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj secured the forts in the Western Ghats as well as those along the Konkan coast. Shivaji also fought against the army of Adilshah at Purandhar.

PRATAPGAD BATTLE:-To counter the loss at Pratapgad, army of over 10,000 was sent against Shivaji, commanded by Bijapuri general Rustemjaman. With 5000 cavalry, Shivaji attacked them near Kolhapur on 28 December, 1659. In a swift movement, along with some men, Shivaji attacked the centre of the enemy forces while other two portions of the cavalry attacked from the flanks. In a pitched battle, the enemy was crushed and Rustemjaman fled.

MARATHA-SIKH RELATIONSHIP

Chhatrasaal Bundela was one of the many young men who were inspired from Shivaji. He went on to liberate his own homeland, Bundel Khand from Mughals. Sikhs were influenced by Maratha upheaval. Guru Gobindsinghji came to Deccan for establishing contact with Marathas but Aurangzeb gruesomely killed him in Nanded. But more of this later in 1793 the Sikhs meanwhile united under the leadership of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and carried on the unfinished task of the Marathas. The Sikh general Jussa Singh Ahluwalia invaded Abdali's kingdom, defeated Abdali ignominiously and captured his capital city of Kabul.

Shivaji realized the importance of having a secure coastline and protecting the western Konkan coastline from the attacks of Siddi’s fleet he had realized the tactical advantage of having a strong navy and decided to purse this idea. Shivaji was concerned about the growing dominance of British India naval forces over Indian waters and start building his navy forces to tackle this issue. For this very reason he is also referred to as the “Father of Indian Navy”.

Shivaji was an able and competent administrator and established a government that included such modern concepts as cabinet (Ashtapradhan mandal), foreign affairs (Dabir) and internal intelligence. Shivaji established an effective civil and military administration. He also built a powerful navy and erected new forts like Sindhudurg and strengthened old ones like Vijayadurg on the west coast. The Maratha navy held its own against the British, Portuguese and Dutch till Maratha internal conflict brought their downfall in 1756.

CORONATIONShivaji was formally crowned Chhatrapati ("Chhatrapati= Chief, head or King of Kshatriyas", representing the protection he bestowed on his people) on June 6, 1674 at the Raigad fort, and given the title Kshatriya Kulavantas Sinhasanadheeshwar Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Pandit Gaga Bhatt, a reknown Brahmin from Varanasi, officially presided over the ceremony declaring that Shivaji's ancestor's were truly Kshatriyas who descended from the solar line of the Ranas of Mewar.

GUERRILLA WELFWAREShivaji Bhonsale, who founded the Maratha empire in 1674 in western India, employed guerrilla warfare successfully against the Muhgals in the hilly terrain of the Sahyadaris. He faced daunting challenges such as repeated invasions by huge enemy armies, notably the Mughals and the regional Sultanates, which would have defeated a lesser leader. Shivaji coped and survived and eventually emerged triumphant by using innovative tactics including hit-and-run, strategic expansion of territories and forts, by constantly keeping on the move, by being highly mobile and by always keeping one step ahead of his pursuers. Shivaji brilliantly overcame disadvantages of size and resources by adopting intelligent strategies and tactics, including taking advantage of their intimate familiarity of the mountainous and rugged Maharashtra terrain, by being highly mobile and lightning fast, and by adopting hit-and-run tactics.

Death and successionIt is said that he died due to contracting a disease Bloody Flux, Intestinal anthrax. The funeral ceremony was arranged in Raigad in presence of his son Rajaram, and wife Soyarabai. After Shivaji's death, his elder son Sambhaji and Soyarabai , fought for control of the kingdom. After a brief struggle Sambhaji was crowned king.

Samarth Ramdas Swami (Spiritual Guru of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj)

He can be glorified as successful, famous, blessed, valorous, meritorious and an icon of morality. There has been none like him, a knower of Dharma, who has protected Hindu Dharma in Maharashtra.

"Maratha tituka milavavaMaharashtra Dharma vadhavava" "Bring as many people into Maratha domain as possible; and grow the Maharashtra Nation"

NEW HORIZONS IN SHIVAJI RAJE’S PROJECT MANAGEMENT1) READINESS TO ACCEPT DISCONTINUITY AND BE FLEXIBLE:-Shivaji Raje had accepted the initial incremental changes in their life Because they were had the oppourtunity to all MAVLE’S i.e. MARATHA’S to accept, implement, verify the impact of the changes on the consequences an move further after consolidating the gains. In 1644 the rate of change was very less.

2) SOLVING PROBLEMS BY OWNING THEM AND SHARING SOLUTIONSHe raised a strong army and navy, constructed and repaired forts, used guerilla warfaretactics, developed a strong intelligence network, gave equal treatment to the people from allreligions and castes based on merit, and functioned like a seasoned Statesman andGeneral. He appointed ministers with specific functions such as Internalsecurity, Foreign affairs, Finance, Law and Justice, Religious matters,Defense etc. He introduced systems in revenue collection and warned theofficials against harassment of subjects.

3) BREAKING THE STATUS QUO MENTALITYWhen Shivaji was seventeen, he decided to transform what were till then simply games to a reality. He and hisfriends encouraged by Jijabai and his Guru Dadoji Kondeo; decided to take a formal oath to free the country from the shackles of Muslim tyranny. This was done in the year 1645 in a dark cavern housing a small temple to the Hindu God Shiva (locally called Raireshwar).

Here Shivaji and his select band of teenaged Maratha friends slit their thumbs and poured the blood oozing from it on the Shiva-linga (Phallus representing the Lord Shiva). By this act they declared a blood-feud against Mughal tyranny.

4) STEPPING OUT OF COMFORTABLE ZONEConfrontation with the Regional SultanatesAt the age of 17 Shivaji carried out his first military action by attacking and capturing Torna Fort of the Bijapur kingdom, in 1645.By 1647 he had captured Kondana and Rajgad forts and had complete control of the Pune region.

5) HUMAN CAPITAL BY PASSING FINANCIAL:-Shivaji successfully lead and marshalled his forces to cope and overcome several major enemy invasions of his territories. He was also unceasing and inexorable in expanding his kingdoms boundaries. His success was driven by his fierce and urgent determination to establish a free and independent homeland, and in this goal he was supported by the high level of loyalty, respect and commitment he received from his soldiers, followers and citizens.He was an innovator and an able commander, he successfully used effective tactics including hit-and-run, strategic expansion of territories and forts, formation of highly mobile light cavalry and infantry units, adaptation of strategic battle plans and formations, whereby he succeeded in out-maneuvering, time and time again, his vastly bigger and determined enemies.

6) TRANSFORM WORK CULTUREShivaji is well known for his benevolent attitude towards his subjects. He believed that there was a close bond between the state and the citizens. He encouraged all accomplished and competent individuals to participate in the ongoing political/military struggle. He is remembered as a just and welfare-minded king. He brought revolutionary changes in military organisation, fort architecture, society and politics.

7) MEANINGFUL ENCOUNTERS MORE IMPORTANT THAN YEARS OF EXPERIENCE:-Shivaji fits in all the criteria of Chanakya’s ideal King.Considering the prevalent socio-political scenario, it is fallaciousto try and fit Shivaji in classical Kshatriya values of chivalry andnobility. Shivaji was religious; but he was not a fanatic. Althoughruthless and stubborn, he was not cruel and sadist. He wascourageous, yet not impulsive. He was practical; but was not withoutambition. He was a dreamer who dreamt lofty aims and had the firmcapacity to convert them into reality.The contribution of Marathas towards nationalistic Hindu Revivalwas rarely understood in medieval days. And it is misunderstood inthis era by many people of other states.Maratha movement was a part of overall Hindu revival.

8) SEEKING MEANING OUT OF CHANGE:-He funded establishment of new villages, set up tax systems on the farms, used the forts to store the farm produce, gave loans to farmers for the purchase of seeds, oxen etc, built new forts, had the language standardized to facilitate the intragovernment communication, had the astrology revived and revised, encouraged conversion of people from Islam to Hinduism.

9) EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE:-PANHALA BATTLE:-Now Adil Shah sent an Abyssinian general of repute, Siddi Johar in 1660. At that time Shivaji was camped at the fort Panhala, near present day Kolhapur, on the borders of his dominion. Siddi Johar's large and intimidating army camped near Panhala, cutting off supply routes to the fort. Shivaji, in a bold move, decided to escape to a nearby fort Vishaalgad, where he could regroup his soldiers to fight a decisive battle. He sent fake messages to Siddi Johar that he is willing to negotiate. With the Mughal soldiers slightly relaxed, Shivaji escaped on a stormy night.

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Kshatriya Kulavantas Sinhasanadheeshwar Chhatrapati Shīvajī Mahārāj